NZFF

Posted: **Fri Apr 05, 2013 11:46 am**

Freak gust puts rescue chopper out of action

The Hawke's Bay rescue helicopter is out of action after a rotor blade hit the tail during "a freak gust of wind" while preparing to take off from Wellington Hospital on Wednesday night.

The accident split the rotor blade and took a chunk out of the tail boom, leaving the helicopter out of action on Wellington hospital's rooftop helipad
Full Item Here:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8512364/Fr...r-out-of-action

http://static.stuff.co.nz/1365042818/760/8509760.jpg
http://static.stuff.co.nz/1365116461/289/8514289.jpg

Posted: **Fri Apr 05, 2013 11:53 am**

I was very surprised this sort off thing has not happened more often , the amount of flying these rescue chaps do .. pre-Easter I had the WESTPAC over-head every few hours and in the distance viewed it many time returning to the CHCH base .

Posted: **Fri Apr 05, 2013 12:57 pm**

What a coincidence, they we're towing it right in front of me while I was having a coffee on the waterfront. Good to know the background.

Posted: **Fri Apr 05, 2013 5:27 pm**

Thats ashame that it's out of action.

Posted: **Fri Apr 05, 2013 5:41 pm**

Im sure it will be back up and running asap.

Posted: **Sat Apr 06, 2013 9:13 am**

Very strange thing to happen to a BK117...

Posted: **Sun Apr 07, 2013 12:15 am**

chopper_nut wrote:
QUOTE (chopper_nut @ Apr 6 2013,10:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Very strange thing to happen to a BK117...

I reckon

Posted: **Sun Apr 07, 2013 12:43 pm**

It says it happened on start up though and the blades on those things flap like crazy in a bit of wind, but yeah still strange

Posted: **Sun Apr 07, 2013 1:51 pm**

Strange for an ridged head.

Posted: **Sun Apr 07, 2013 1:51 pm**

You dont tend to see that on anything but two bladed systems